


In a Different Universe...

by notjustmom



Series: IronStrange Bingo [21]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Established Relationship, F/M, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), bump in rating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-25 04:16:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21350098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: IronStrange Prompt: Team Work...An alternate meeting between two fabulous facial hair bros, and the rare pair who arranged the meeting.
Relationships: Nick Fury/The Ancient One, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: IronStrange Bingo [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1287539
Comments: 22
Kudos: 77





	1. Chapter 1

It will never work. - TAO

You never know. Stranger, uhm, odder things have happened. - Fury

I have observed your Mr. Stark. - TAO

He isn’t my Mr. Stark. - Fury

That’s quite obvious. - TAO

Meaning? - Fury

You wouldn’t even bring him into the Initiative originally. - TAO

How - damn. No. He wasn’t ready. - Fury

And what makes you think he’s ready now, and will work with Master Strange? - TAO

He’s had a rough year, and I think the two of them might have more in common than you think. They are two of the brightest people I’ve ever met - damn. - Fury

When did you meet Master Strange? - TAO

After New York. He was an ass, but dedicated, worked three straight days after the attack. Sad to hear about his hands. Good surgeon, saved some of my people. - Fury

Very well. I will have him meet your Mr. Stark. Neutral ground. Central Park. Tomorrow 3pm. - TAO

See you Saturday night? - Fury

Looking forward to it. - TAO

“Tony Stark.”

“Stephen Strange. Doctor Stephen Strange, at least you were in the summer of 2016.”

“I am, I was.” Strange rolled his eyes and waited for Stark to go on. He was as spiky as he had been told to expect, a hedgehog came to mind, and he blinked to erase the image from his mind. He had gone through the file The Ancient One had given him after he had become Master of the New York Sanctum, in case they ever crossed paths by accident. Strange sighed heavily. If recent experience taught him anything, it was that nothing ever happened by accident. “You do understand -”

“Yes, I know, you couldn't have done anything, there was far too much damage.” 

Strange studied the man in front of him and wondered why he had expected him to look bigger, or at the very least slightly more menacing. He was, as the file had stated, simply a man, who had found a way to use a what must have been a humbling, if not terrifying kidnapping to his advantage, though Strange wasn’t sure Stark would see it that way, or maybe he would. A brilliant engineer, he had used out-of-the-box thinking to save the planet on more than one occasion. Yes, he had worked with a team, but it was clear to the sorcerer that if he could, he would prefer to work alone. He had no problem sacrificing himself, when it came down to it - _“doesn’t play well with others…”_ Damn, he’d said that out loud.

To his surprise, Tony laughed for a long moment, then wiped his eyes with his fingers and shook his head. “No, I don’t, and neither do you, from what I understand. And yet -” Stephen blinked at the intelligence, and wariness he saw in the man’s eyes, but he also found the tiniest sliver of hope there. “And yet, the ‘powers that be’ have an idea that maybe the two of us could find a way to work together. Look, to be honest, I’m tired. I’ve done things, seen things I still have trouble believing, and I’m ten years in, and right now all I want is a nap and a burger, doesn’t matter in what order. Here’s my card, give me a call when you need a hand, and I’ll see if I can work you into my schedule.”

Stephen accepted the card carefully and stared as the smaller figure turned on his heel and began to limp away.

“Stark. Wait.”

Tony turned and studied him for a moment, then shrugged. “Do you fly or do you just use those gold ringy-dingy things -”

“Portals.”

“Right, figured there was a technical term for them. You always dress that formal when you wander around Central Park?”

“No, the ‘powers that be’ thought if I wore the dress blues and the cloak -” Stephen blinked twice and he was transformed into a worn pair of jeans and t-shirt, topped with a dark hoodie.

“Nice trick, wiz - sorry, I’ve heard you sorcerer types get fussed about titles, you are -”

“Master of the New York Sanctum.”

“So I call you -”

“Stephen is fine.” Stephen shoved his hands in the pockets of his hoodie and breathed out a sigh of relief as Stark took no noticeable offense, in fact, he had taken note of the slight tremor in Stark’s left hand and realized he understood more than most.

“I’m Tony, though I’ve been called worse. There’s a burger joint a couple blocks from here, they make the biggest, greasiest, messiest burgers you’ve ever had… unless you’re vegetarian? They make a good salad, if you roll that way -”

“No, a burger sounds great - fries too?”

“Fries too, and milkshakes -”

“Double thick?”

“Of course.”

“Lead the way.”

“So.”

“Seems they are more compatible than expected.”

“Told you so -” Fury muttered under his breath as he studied the backgammon game that he was moments from conceding. “Hell.”

“I don’t know why you keep thinking you will ever defeat me in backgammon, Nicky.” The Ancient One grinned at him, then got up to pour herself another cup of tea.

“You know damn well -”

She put the teapot down and nodded at him. “Yes, of course I know. Come, time for bed, it’s nearly time for the younger people to take the reins, we won’t be around forever.”

“Hey, I thought we weren’t going to talk business tonight,” Fury groused at her, then got to his feet and offered her his hand.

“My apologies.”

“You know you never need to apologize, to me, of all people.”

“Come, then. Can you stay tonight?”

“I cleared my schedule.”

“For me? I’m honored.”

“You’re the most ridiculous being I’ve ever met.”

She grinned up at him and laughed, “and that’s saying something, considering…”

“Uhmmhmm.”

“Again, I’m honored, truly.” Without another word, she opened a portal and they were instantly transported to a dimension where time stood still.


	2. Chapter 2

Stephen pushed the empty plate away and studied the man who sat across from him. He could see the scars that past battles had left behind, as well as the laugh lines. He sensed he had loved before and lost badly, something in the brown eyes told him he could love again, but it would take time. He didn't want to rush him, no matter how his own heart thudded in his chest as Tony looked up from his own plate and grinned at him.

"Told you, best burger you've ever had, right?"

"Yeah. Now I just have to figure out how to move."

He blinked at him and reached out a hand towards him. "Do you really have to go?"

"No. It's just. I -"

"I don't believe in love at first sight or anything like that, but I have the feeling -"

Stephen whispered, "you have the feeling..."

"That there is some kind of mutual attraction here. I know it seems far-fetched, us just meeting and all, but I know - I mean - life is short, and I'm going through my nine lives at a pretty good click..."

"Hell." Stephen leaned across the table and held Tony's face in one of his large, elegant hands and kissed him cautiously, in case he had misread the look in his eyes. After Tony responded in kind, he drew back, slightly out of breath, and grinned at him. "Sorcery..."

Tony cleared his throat and whispered, “I don’t normally, I mean, I - damn, you have beautiful eyes. Do you, uhm, I mean, sorry, I don’t usually have trouble with words, there are things you should probably know about me, but -”

Stephen got to his feet and offered Tony his hand, “come with me, my place isn’t too far from here -”

“I wonder if they hated each other on sight like we did,” Fury murmured against The Ancient One’s shoulder.

“I think not.”

“What?”

“They have similar, let us say, ‘personality quirks’.”

Fury snorted, “'quirks'?”

“Arrogance, suicidal tendencies, and yet, both have a great capacity for love and compassion. They are both damaged in ways that most people cannot begin to comprehend -”

“Matchmaking? Don't you have enough to keep you busy?”

“I had an idea that Master Strange might see something in your Iron Man, something far beyond his utility - something very human, might remind him of his own humanity. As sorcerers, we sometimes lose sight of that part of ourselves, and - hmmmm….”

“You were saying?” Fury whispered at her ear.

After she caught her breath again, she hummed back, “just remember there are dimensions I can send you to with a single thought, Nicky. Rather unpleasant dimensions where no one is ever heard from again?”

“Nah, you like me too much, and no one else will play backgammon with you. Besides, don’t you need me to remind you of your humanity?”

Tony blinked into Stephen’s eyes as the sorcerer’s fingers lightly traced the scars that crisscrossed his chest. “Too much?”

“Nooo - it’s just no one has ever - I don’t, I thought - I’ve always -”

“There is nothing ugly about you, Stark.”

He drew in a sharp breath as gentle fingers drifted downward, and he realized how long it had been since he had been touched with kindness, with maybe even something close to love, and he shuddered as Stephen blew lightly over one nipple as his fingers wrapped around his cock.”Don’t think, Stark, just let me take care of you, let me -” the deep voice broke off as Tony's fingers tangled in his hair and pulled just enough to make time pause for the briefest of moments. "Tony. Don't let go. Just don't -"

"I won't. Damn, Doc..."

It was over far too quickly for both of them, and Tony couldn't help but laugh out loud after Stephen collapsed gently against him. "What?"

Tony curled his arms around him and let out a contented sigh, then murmured into his hair, "you, me - us. They set us up. Fury and whatshername - they wanted to know if we could 'work' together... right."

"I don't mind if you don't."

"I'm not complaining, Doc, not at all... just funny is all, you'd think with as busy as they must be, they wouldn't bother with the likes of us."

Stephen reached for Tony's hand and threaded their fingers together, "stay?"

"I'll stay as long as you want, Doc."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise." He pressed a kiss into the sorcerer's hair, and his eyes drifted closed, even as he battled to stay awake, just in case this was the best dream he'd had in years.


End file.
